How councils can fix the digital services disconnect in their communities
Communities across New Zealand increasingly expect the same clear, convenient online council services they experience elsewhere, such as the apps they use daily from banks and government portals.
But recent findings from the IBRS Australia Digital Citizens 2025 report (commissioned by TechnologyOne) revealed that too many people face barriers when trying to engage online, turning to call centres for tasks that should take minutes.
These insights may be based on Australian citizens, but they reflect a challenge many New Zealand councils also face and show similar results to TechnologyOne’s 2023 Digital Citizens NZ report.
By delivering seamless, connected digital experiences, councils can strengthen community trust, ease the load on staff, and meet the growing expectations of modern communities.
[Download the full IBRS Digital Citizens Report]
Why council digital services fall short
From rubbish collection to rates, New Zealand councils manage the services people rely on daily. And as the closest level of government, they’re also the most visible.
Unfortunately, many local councils in both New Zealand and Australia still face barriers to delivering the consistent, user-friendly digital experiences communities expect compared to higher levels of government.
In both countries, central and federal government digital usage was significantly higher than local government: 70% and 88% respectively, versus 50% (NZ) and 56% (AU). Even worse, only 29.3% of Australians surveyed felt their local government digital services had
improved in recent years!
Source: TechnologyOne, IBRS Digital Citizens’ Report, 2025.
In the case of one respondent, you often can’t do simple council tasks online at all: “As far as my local council’s website goes, I pay my rates each week through my banking app, but when I log into the council’s website, there is no way to see what my balance or credit is sitting at. I have no way of knowing if I’m on top of it or not. It feels intentional.”
Instead of building confidence in digital services, these experiences drive residents back to call centres and counters.
What frustrates citizens about local government services?
Residents see the value in digital: in Australia, 60% say council services are convenient, 54% value the time saved, and 41.5% like accessing them on their terms.
But satisfaction drops as services get more complex: 13.9% of citizens reported poor experiences when seeking building approvals; 14.8% when applying for housing, and 17.4% even when reporting community defects.
These are basic services. But they often feel anything but.
Local government services citizens appreciate
Source: TechnologyOne, IBRS Digital Citizens’ Report, 2025.
What citizens want
Residents aren’t asking for much: just clear, easy-to-use services and quick access to information.
Top frustrations from the 2025 IBRS report include:
32% want better progress tracking
31.9% want easier-to-find info
26% want clearer steps to follow
In New Zealand, local councils are often the first point of contact for essential services. When those services are confusing or disconnected, it erodes community trust and increases pressure on staff.
So, what’s the fix for councils?
Many councils are trying. But without the right tools, even well-intentioned upgrades fall short of what communities expect from digital services.
The report makes it clear: councils must design services that are empathetic, mobile-friendly, written in plain language, and integrated on the back end so residents aren’t forced to repeat themselves at every step.
It’s also about working smarter. Every manual form processed, every phone call taken, and every piece of siloed data takes time and resources away from where they’re needed most.
How DxP Local Government helps councils close the gap
TechnologyOne’s DxP Local Government (DxP LG) is built to help councils deliver the seamless, connected digital services their communities expect, without adding complexity behind the scenes.
DxP LG completes the OneCouncil puzzle, streamlining service delivery by working seamlessly with your OneCouncil solution to give residents instant, effortless access to services and information from any device, anywhere, at any time.
Most importantly, it empowers councils to build trust with their communities.
Take the next step towards connected community services
Build trust and boost engagement by delivering the digital services your community expects. Remove barriers and lead the way to a more connected council with confidence.
Ready to see how your council can close the digital disconnect?
Download the full IBRS Digital Citizens Report or book a DxP Local government demo today.
